Has This Season Been a Failure?

To be within one point of Chelsea after the amount of injuries and ridiculous refereeing displays/decisions is quite an achievement.You have to give Chelsea credit, of course you do, but in the two games against us, they had two huge gifts from the referee/lino's which resulted in 2 goals.

Getting KO'd from Europe a stage early really helped the renters too.

Fair play to them, but credit to us also.

Berbatov.

Originally Posted by magic_cantona

and ridiculous refereeing displays/decisions is quite an achievement.

Originally Posted by Spiffy

Are you not allowed to question whether or not it's been a good season? Why edit the title when you could have just done a RAWK and deleted or locked the thread? Can we have a list of things we can and can't start threads about please? I wouldn't want to fall foul of the thread police again.

Its because you are a tory #@&%!

You can't win 'em all, winning three on the spin was a fantastic achievement and no-one's ever done four after all.

I'd say coming second by a point, winning a trophy and beating your local rivals three times (with three injury-time winners) is a pretty good season really.

Originally Posted by Gypsum Fantastic

We've had a large amount of 'wtf?' refereeing displays this season.

If you don't agree, fair enough.Doesn't mean it's not true though.Oh, hang on, it does, doesn't it?

I'd say the season has been a failure, but that's only because of the ridiculously high standards Fergie has set during the last two decades. And I'm a spoilt @#%&!.

We've done better then I thought we would in August, had very low expectations. There were glaring issues with the squad (especially up front) that weren't adressed last summer and they've cost us at crucial times this season. We've become far more of a 'one man team' this season then we ever were with Ronaldo in the side. The difference Rooney makes to what has been an otherwise average team is incredible. If he doesn't get injured in Germany, I'm convinced we'd be looking forward to one more game in Madrid Europe, more so then the League, was a huge missed opportunity this season with the way the draw panned out. Overall, the football has generally been pretty poor to watch.

On a more positive note, Nani has made tremendous progress and Valencia has has had a good debut season. Add them to Rooney, Evra, Fletcher, Rafael, Evans and we have a core of exceptionally gifted players, none of whom (Evra apart perhaps) are at their peak. Giggs, Scholes Rio and Vidic still have plenty to offer too. If we actually sign players of the required quality (and not crap like Diouf or Oberton ) we'll be among the main prizes again next season.

Finally, Owen needs to be £#%&!ed off. He's shite.

when you look back to the start of the season you'd probably have accepted second and a league cup.

however had you known valencia would be a revelation, wazza would have his best season ever and nani would come into his own, coupled in with the fact liverpool wouldnt be a threat and arsenal and chelsea would throw away silly points you'd have expected better.

it definitely hasnt been a dissapointment but it has bee dissappointing. if that makes seanse.

The very fact that we are even asking the question after winning a cup and taking the league to the last day of the season, shows how far SAF has taken us. We judge ourselves against perfection, it's amazing how often we don't come up short. So, shit season for SAF, exceptional season for the mortals.

In reply to Watcher in particular............

When we have clicked, the football has been better - sometimes *much* better - to watch than last season. Against that, when we have been off form we have been utter shite - our usual ability to grind out wins from below par performances largely deserting us

One man team?? Last season we scored 68 league goals in total. This time 86 - a whole 60 of which were *not* scored by Rooney. Our GD is the third best we have had since the Prem started (behind just 1994 and 2000 IIRC)

Let's not overdo the gloom just because we had a couple of bad weeks which cost us the League and the CL, possibly

Originally Posted by red in cumbria

In reply to Watcher in particular............

When we have clicked, the football has been better - sometimes *much* better - to watch than last season. Against that, when we have been off form we have been utter shite - our usual ability to grind out wins from below par performances largely deserting us

One man team?? Last season we scored 68 league goals in total. This time 86 - a whole 60 of which were *not* scored by Rooney. Our GD is the third best we have had since the Prem started (behind just 1994 and 2000 IIRC)

Let's not overdo the gloom just because we had a couple of bad weeks which cost us the League and the CL, possibly

I'm not just talking about the goals Rooney scores though. His presence on the pitch makes us a far better side. Our tempo is better, we create more chances and we stretch defences. A large part of it's down to him. When he's not in the team, we've struggled.

Originally Posted by The Watcher

I'm not just talking about the goals Rooney scores though. His presence on the pitch makes us a far better side. Our tempo is better, we create more chances and we stretch defences. A large part of it's down to him. When he's not in the team, we've struggled.

Yeah, I'm not denying he is our most important player - I wonder how much of it is a mental thing though?? In other words, he is so talismanic that the team simply doesn't have as much confidence without him to call upon

But my other point is IMO valid - when playing well this season, we have been great to watch, maybe our best stuff since 2006-07. As I said, the problem has been when we haven't - some of our most horrific displays for years (Leeds, anyone??)

Originally Posted by red in cumbria

maybe our best stuff since 2006-07.

Not a chance.

Originally Posted by The Watcher

Not a chance.

Ah well, our mileages vary.

Better than last season though, shurely??

More of the same I've thought. Far to passive without the ball, concede to much territory to the opposition for my liking. Going forward, at our best it's been good no doubt. Nani, Valencia and Rooney are a great front three.